© 2009 mcgraw-hill higher education. all rights reserved. c h a p t e r 9 complex cognitive...

© 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

C H A P T E R 9

Complex Cognitive Processes


Learning Goals

1. Discuss conceptual understanding and strategies for teaching concepts.

2. Describe several types of thinking and ways that teachers can foster them.

3. Take a systematic approach to problem solving.

4. Define transfer and explain how to enhance it as a teacher.



What Are Concepts?

Promoting Concept

Formation

Conceptual Understanding


Conceptual Understanding

Concepts are categories that group objects, events, and characteristics on the basis of common properties.

Concept Formation1. Identify the features of a concept.

2. Define the concept and give clear examples.

3. Concept maps offer a visual representation of a concept’s hierarchical organization.

4. Develop hypotheses about what the concept is and what it is not.

5. Prototype matching compares the item with similar items in a category.


Concept Map


Promoting Concept Formation

Use the rule-example strategy Help students learn what a concept is and what

it is not Provide clear, concrete examples Relate new concepts to already-known concepts Create concepts maps Generate hypotheses about concepts Prototype matching Check for understanding and generalization


Enter the Debate

Can teachers teach students to think?

YES NO



Thinking

What IsThinking?

Reasoning

Creative Thinking

CriticalThinking

DecisionMaking


Thinking

…involves manipulating and transforming information in memory.


Critical Thinking…is thinking reflectively and productively, and

evaluating the evidence.

Ways Teachers Encourage Thinking Help students construct their own thinking Use thinking-based questions Provide positive role models for thinking Be a thinking role model for students Keep up-to-date on latest developments in

thinking


Confirmation bias: The tendency to search for information that supports our ideas rather than refutes them.

Belief perseverance: The tendency to hold on to a belief in the face of contradictory evidence.

Decision making involves thinking in which individuals evaluate alternatives and make choices among them.

Decision Making


Overconfidence bias: The tendency to have more confidence in judgments and decisions than we should, based on past experience.

Hindsight bias: The tendency to falsely report, after the fact, that we accurately predicted the event.

Decision Making


Creative Thinking

…is the ability to think about something in novel and unusual ways and come up with unique solutions to problems.

Convergent Thinking

Produces one correct answer.

Divergent Thinking

Produces many answers to the same question.


Ways to Improve Creativity

Provide stimulatingenvironments

Encourage creative thinking on an individual and group basis

Encourage internal

motivation

Involve creativepeople

Guide students to be persistent and delay gratification


Ways to Improve Creativity cont’d

Don’t overcontrol

students

Build students’ confidence

Guide students to help them think in flexible ways

Encourage students to take

risks



ProblemSolving

Obstacles toSolving

Problems

Problem-Based Learning &

Project-Based Learning

Steps inProblem Solving

DevelopmentalChanges


Problem Solving

…involves finding an appropriate way to attain a goal.

1. Find and frame problems

2. Develop good strategies: Subgoaling Algorithms Heuristics Means-ends analysis

3. Evaluate solutions

4. Rethink and redefine problems and solutions over time


Obstacles to Problem Solving

Inadequate Emotional Control

Lack of Motivation

Fixation

Lack of Persistence


Developmental Changes

Children’s ability to use rules increases Children become better planners Increased complexity of problem solving More effective strategic problem solving


Problem- and Project-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning emphasizes solving authentic problems like those that occur in daily life.

Project-Based Learning emphasizes students working on real, meaningful problems to create tangible products.


Problem-Based Learning

Problem-Based Learning emphasizes solving authentic problems like those that occur in daily life.

1. Provide opportunities to solve real-world problems

2. Monitor effective/ineffective strategies

3. Involve parents

4. Improve students’ use of rules, knowledge, and strategies

5. Use technology effectively



Transfer

Types of Transfer

What Is Transfer?


Types of Transfer

Learning Situation:

Near transfer Is similar to initial learning.

Far transfer Is different from initial learning situation.

Low-road Almost unconsciously transfers to new situation.

High-road Is conscious and effortful


High-road transfer can be …

Learning Situation:

Forward-reaching transfer

Occurs when student thinks about how to use information in a new situation.

Backward-reaching transfer

Occurs when students look back to previous situations for information to solve problems in a new context.


Crack the CaseThe Case of the Statistics Test

1. What are the issues in this case?

2. What went wrong for Cassandra?

3. What should she do differently if she wants to do better on the next test?

4. If you were the teacher of Cassandra’s class, how would you help your students to prepare for this type of test?


Reflection & Observation

Reflection: What strategies have your teachers

used to encourage complex thinking?

Why were they effective?

© 2009 mcgraw-hill higher education. all rights reserved. c h a p t e r 9 complex cognitive...

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